With cities becoming more and more crowded and leash laws becoming more restrictive, many concerned dog owners are looking to the creation of dog parks as a solution to their need for a place to spend quality time with their pets. If you have a backyard on your property (whether you are a homeowner or a renter) the best solution would be to assemble one of our Do-it-Yourself dog fence kits. They are affordable, effective, humane, and have been tested by PETA. But that is not always possible, especially in urban areas, in gated communities, or with restrictive HOAs.
Dogs need to run free, so without a fenced in backyard, or a dog park how can you accomplish this? By now you have no doubt recognized the need for a dog park in your area, and you’re eager to see one established.
But how do you get started?
Start with a small group of committed dog park activists. Talk with a half dozen other individuals who are concerned about the lack of off-leash spaces. These may be people you already know, or you may want to put a notice in the local paper. This group may form a park association and will be responsible for meeting with public officials, making presentations, maintaining the park and defusing any problems that arise.
Choose a site. The ideal area will be a safe, accessible location that takes into account the needs of park users as well as the effect the park will have on neighbors and the environment.
Create a budget. Determine how much it will cost to construct and maintain the park. This is where Pet Playgrounds can help you tremendously. Our fencing kits are incredibly affordable, and can be installed virtually anywhere, by just about anyone. For a relatively small dog park of 500 linear feet (or 15,625 square feet) a traditional 4 foot chain link fence can cost you more than $10,000 for materials and installation. However, a Pet Playgrounds 4 foot dog fencing kit would cost under $6,000 to enclose the same area. Unlike other dog fencing companies we can install the product for you or you can have anyone install this dog fence. This means that you can ask for volunteers to help assemble your community dog park and save literally thousands, making the dog park even more affordable. Pet Playgrounds also offers a wide variety of competition quality agility equipment. Besides creating a fenced in area, and equipment for dogs to play with you will also need to calculate the costs of garbage removal, lawn maintenance, drinking water, field drainage, lighting, benches, and a pooper-scooper station – but those are fairly moderate compared to the cost of constructing a traditional dog park.
Spread the word. Enlist the support of local veterinarians, groomers, dog walkers, and others who have a real interest in seeing a community filled with healthy, well-socialized dogs. Involve them in gathering petitions, writing letters to the editor of local papers and generally spreading the word.
What about maintenance? Maintenance will be another important consideration. In some areas, park associations work in conjunction with local kennel clubs and parks department officials to organize volunteer “park cleanup” days. Kennel clubs and other dog organizations may also be willing to donate funds for future supplies of scoopers, trash bags, and cans.
What would an ideal dog park look like?
- An ideal dog park would be occupy one acre or more of land surrounded by a four-to six-foot dog-specific fence. The fence should be equipped with a double-gated entry to keep dogs from escaping and to facilitate wheelchair access.
- Cleaning supplies, including covered garbage cans, waste bags, and pooper- scooper stations.
- If space allows, it is preferable to provide separate areas for small and large dogs. This will enable large dog owners to allow their pets to run more freely, while protecting smaller dogs who may not be suited to the enthusiastic play of larger breeds. This is incredibly easy with a Pet Playgrounds fence because of the components that are utilized.
If you are truly interested then please download the this PDF from the American Kennel Club and learn everything you need to know to get your very own community dog park installed!